Reviewed by Tony Annicone
Trinity Rep’s second show, performed in repertory with “The Good John Procter,” is “Becky Nurse of Salem” by Sarah Ruhl, which is the better one of the two. Becky is a descendant of Rebecca Nurse from the Salem witch trials and was also a character in “The Crucible”. This Becky is plagued with a curse of bad luck that she needs to be exorcised so she can get on with her life. She is a poor 52-year-old grandmother who is raising her granddaughter and struggling to make ends meet. The cast sings “Sweet Children Mine,” and then we first meet Becky as a museum docent as she tells the “high school” audience the tales of witchcraft in the city and where Rebecca Nurse was hung either at what is now Dunkin Donuts or at Walgreen’s. She also drops some F-bombs in front of the nuns and is she is fired from her job. The audience follows her roller coaster journey from there to the end of the show, where we all learn the most important thing in life is to love and be loved. The audience leaped to their feet at the end of the extremely poignant and comic show, masterfully presented by director Curt Columbus and his extraordinary and talented seven-member cast. Brava to leading lady Angela Brazil on her breathtaking performance, who never left the stage in this two-hour and fifteen-minute show.
The character of Becky is addicted to painkillers, and has a crush on Bob, a married bartender. Her granddaughter has been incarcerated in a mental institution after watching her mother die of an overdose in Walgreens when she was two years old. Ruhl began writing this show after the 2016 election as a commentary on the victor of that election declaring those opposing him were on a witch hunt. Everyone opposing him is wrong, and he’s always right in his point of view. Current events seem to disprove his statement with the 91 felony counts he is facing in four different cases. Ruhl uses the craziness and mayhem of his administration in this show and looks at those who really understood persecution after having lived it. For example, Hilary Clinton, and those living in alternate realities (fake news) of persecution, about sex with Arthur Miller in “The Crucible,” about money, fame, underhanded tactics and power, Trump and with Ruhl’s Becky Nurse about her denial that she is the one responsible for her own fate. Director Curt Columbus casts these roles beautifully and elicits marvelous comic and dramatic performances from his talented cast. What a fabulous way to start the 60th anniversary season of Trinity Rep.
Angela Brazil, as Becky Nurse, delivers a tour de force performance in this leading role. She seems to talk her way out of all her problems, has a romantic encounter with her bartender beau even though she is a grandmother, seems to get revenge on her malevolent employer, Shelby and seems to help her granddaughter, Gail to straighten out her life with help from the supernatural folks Becky runs into. One of these is a current-day witch to help her with her problems of finding a job, getting Gail sent home from the hospital and getting Bob to fall in love with her. Becky also runs into Stan, a Wiccan, when she applies for a job as a front desk clerk at the Marriott. He becomes involved not only in Becky’s life but in Gail’s life, too. Becky is finally thrown in jail after breaking into the museum and then faces more charges with her opioid pills. Becky’s ancestor, Rebecca Nurse, was burned as a witch during the Salem trials and Ruhl stands up to the patriarchal society which has been running things for many years. She came up with the idea for this script after Trump won the presidency. His “Lock her up” chants at his out of control rallies seem to be turned on their axis to “Lock him up” chants now. Things come to a head in the second act when Becky flashes back to her ancestors plight while detoxing from her addiction. The final resolution by the court is where we find out whether Becky’s curse is broken or not. The gamut of emotions which Angela goes through in this role and her interactions with every cast member are brilliantly performed and her Massachusetts accent is terrific, too. Her final monologue in stunning to behold and leaves the audience in tears.
The other six performers live up to the talent of their leading lady. The congenial bartender who went to school with Becky, Bob is excellently played by Dereks Thomas. Bob is still married to Sharon also from their high school days. Becky continually borrows money from him, slips him a secret love potion and admits having crush on him in high school. He tries to ground her in reality and sometimes seems to get through to her. Bob has a personal crisis where he finds God and tries to instill this into Becky. We observe the results of his intervention. Dereks does a great job as this stand up character.
Jihan Haddad does a marvelous job as Gail, Becky’s granddaughter, capturing the uncertainty of this young 16 year old girl trying to recover from her mother’s death. She eventually returns to high school after many trials and tribulations and is aided by Shelby, Becky’s former boss at the museum. Gail also connects with Stan whom Becky disapproves of because he’s a Wiccan and is two years older than she is. I last reviewed Jihan in “Sueno” where she played a sexpot with a gigantic wig. This role shows her versatility. Alexander Crespo-Rosario II plays Stan beautifully. He captures the earnestness of a young man who beliefs in his way of life whether other people like it or not. I last reviewed him as Toby in Sweeney Todd here in June.
The exotic and mysterious Witch is excellently played by Meg Thalken who bilks Becky out of large sums of money to give her potions and various ways of obtaining others to bend to Becky’s will. Some of these things include crystals, vagina juice and many ingredients to list. Her flamboyant characterization adds to the merriment of her shenanigans in this show. Rachel Dulude delivers the goods as the stern boss, Shelby who eventually has a change of heart when she helps Gail out at high school while Becky is in jail. She makes her well rounded character and not one dimensional. I last reviewed Rachel in “The Inferior Sex” here last spring.
Last but not least is Benjamin Grills as The Judge/The Jailer. He does a wonderful job in both roles and also plays John Proctor in a couple of scenes, first during Becky’s first lecture and then during her detox sequence. The Jailor arrests Becky, announces her visitors and when the visit is over, catches her with illicit opioids and spills the beans unknowingly in a comic bit. The Judge hands down the sentence on what happens to Becky. It’s marvelous seeing Benjamin back at Trinity, having last reviewed him in “Lie of the Mind” here in 2014 as well as many other roles back at URI from 2008 on. So, for a phenomenal show, be sure to catch “Becky Nurse of Salem” at Trinity Repertory Company, before time runs out. It will make you laugh and cry in all the right places. Hard working stage manager Polly Feliciano keeps things running smoothly all night long. The set design is by Michael McGarty, costume design by Shahrzad Mazaheri, lighting by Dawn Chiang and sound design by Joanna Lynne Staub. For tickets go to their website trinityrep.com or give them a call at the box office.
BECKY NURSE OF SALEM (21 September to 10 November)
Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington Street, Providence, RI
1(401)351-4242
